Behind the Scenes at Hougen: American Made, American Strong

Today, most mag drills are constructed with plastic or composite motor housings. The HMD905 is built with an aluminum motor housing for durability along with a two-speed gear box and several safety features.

"Today, most mag drills are constructed with plastic or composite motor housings. The HMD905 is built with an aluminum motor housing for durability along with a two-speed gear box and several safety features."

Why did Hougen decide to market this portable magnetic drill?

Hougen decided to market this drill because it gives our customers another option when it comes to cost and performance. We have two other models, the HMD904 and HMD917, and the HMD905 bridges the gap between these other models when you are looking at cost, capacity, and size.

How is this drill different from comparable makes?

This product is different from similar products because we manufacture this unit entirely in the U.S. It is designed with safety and durability in mind. Today, most mag drills are constructed with plastic or composite motor housings. The HMD905 is built with an aluminum motor housing for durability along with a two-speed gear box and several safety features. We have also added an LED work light to assist in low light conditions and a two-stage magnet for more holding power.

Any particular problems that came up during the development process?

We encountered the usual problems like balancing features our customers want, and keeping the unit lightweight and compact while maintaining cost and manufacturability.

What was the length of time from conception to final production?

It took a couple of years from time of conception to final production. The project started with updating our HMD904 and HMD917 drill units. The HMD905 unit with a single-speed motor on it was actually slated to be the new HMD904, but early on in the design process it was determined that the new unit was too heavy and the design was put aside. When the design of the HMD904 and HMD917, our new drill units, were complete, we decided to use the original design for a new drill, the HMD905. After which we ended up adding a couple more drills to the mix, updating our HMD915 to our new HMD933 and a new power feed, the HMD927. When it was all said and done, we had our new family of drills: HMD904, HMD905, HMD917, HMD927, and HMD933.

Did cost factors affect the final design of this product?

As was pointed out previously, cost is always an important factor. We are always trying to design the very best product we can and control the cost. This allows us to offer our customers the very best value for their money.

Who do you view as the primary users of this drill and how will they benefit?

Steel fabricators building anything from small projects to buildings and bridges. When they use Hougen drills and cutters, they get a quality tool that will allow them to complete the job efficiently and cost effectively. More importantly, they get the Hougen team. We have a team of people in place to handle any questions or needs the customer may have when using our products. We back our products to the fullest extent possible.